Never Be The Same Again
by lrigD
Summary: Another tag for Mayhem on the Cross. You could see it as a continuation of the episode. R&R!


**_Yeah, I KNOW I already wrote a tag for Mayhem. Let me explain._**

**_After I had posted 'Thankful', I went to my family and just enjoyed being there for the moment. I heard a song in the radio, and it seemed like some sentences in particular were just MADE for this episode. I couldn't let it go, so here is the result. I hope you enjoyed.  
_****_  
Disclaimer: Don't own Bones, or the song. _**

**_Oh, and I should NOT be writing this. I should be learning for the two tests I have on Monday, because I won't have much time tomorrow - party! AZ! Yay! :D_**

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The journey back to his house was silent and a little bit awkward. Even Bones felt it, because she didn't say anything and just looked outside with a strange half-smile on her face.

She was probably smiling because they had helped Sweets. Maybe she felt she had somehow set it straight, because she had made such a mistake a couple of days ago, by telling Sweets about Daisy. He bit back a grin; despite her words when they had met for the second time, right after her trip to Guatemala, apparently she _did_ believe in cosmic balance now.

Her confession, even if it was only meant to support Sweets, had shocked him. He had known foster life hadn't been perfect. It wasn't a surprise, because the stories were everywhere. He knew what could happen. And it didn't apply to just foster homes, either.

He didn't know what had made him say the things he had said tonight. He had honestly just come here to drag Sweets into some company. He hadn't wanted to share on of the biggest things in his life, one of the things he often thought about.

But something about Bones' eyes had made him talk, anyway. The way her eyes shone, the way she had just _looked_ at him.

He sighed a silent sigh of relief when they reached his apartment block. Gordon was a master at reading people; he'd know what had happened, and he'd help. Or at least he wouldn't bring it up, which was what Booth hoped he'd do. If he was going to have to talk about this, it was going to be with Bones, not with anyone else.

"Hello, my brave FBI-man," Gordon said jovially as he opened the door for them. "And mister Sweets and miss Brennan, of course." He opened the door wider to let them in.

"Doctor Brennan," Bones corrected Gordon, and Booth had to bite back another grin.

"Yes, of course, do pardon me," Gordon said. Booth saw his eyes wandering between them, wondering what had happened to create this particular atmosphere.

"Well, you are just on time," he continued when he was satisfied. "_Just_ on time." Booth got the distinct impression he was talking about more than just a dinner, but he decided to let it slip.

Dinner was enjoyable, but with a tense edge to it he couldn't quite place. They talked like usual, with him and Bones bickering while Sweets –and now Gordon, too– looked at them with just a little bit more than professional curiosity. He didn't mind, though; he had a new respect for Sweets now. Despite all his teasing, he knew when it was enough.

Eventually they left, taking the left-overs from the meal with them as they did so. Booth had no doubt they would probably discuss _them_, seeing as they apparently had a very interesting partnership.

Partnership… the word was not enough to describe what they had, especially after tonight. _Friend_ship didn't seem like enough either. He honestly didn't have a word for what they had, and he doubted Bones, with her large vocabulary, had, either.

When they had cleaned up the dishes –Bones had insisted on helping, even if he had insisted on her _not_ helping– they sat down on the couch, neither one of them willing to let go of one another just yet.

"So…" he finally broke the silence that had been hanging around them.

"So…" she echoed him, a touch of insecurity in her voice.

"Did things like that happen more often? With other families, too?" He just _had_ to know, despite the difficulty of the subject.

She was silent for a moment. "Sometimes," she finally replied, and he recognized she didn't want to talk about it right now.

"Sweets, huh? Never knew there was so much history behind the kid," he changed the subject a bit, giving her some time to adjust to the situation.

"He definitely surprised me," Bones agreed. "I felt quite sorry for him." She was silent for another moment, before muttering something so soft he wasn't even sure he'd heard it. "Why us?"

"Why us?" He replied surprised, momentarily taken off guard.

"Yes." She nodded. "We are quite the trio, aren't we? We have all had disturbing childhoods…"

"Yeah, but Bones…" he scooted closer, using his right hand to turn her head so she was facing him. "That's all over now. You're not living with those people anymore, Sweets isn't either… I am no longer that teenage kid," he added, softer. "We turned out OK, no matter what happened. And we have each other now."

She nodded again. "We have each other," she repeated, leaning against him. "We have each other."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and closed his eyes. "We do, Bones. And I won't let anyone hurt you."

He waited for the reply that she could take care of herself, that she didn't need protecting from anyone, but it didn't come. Instead, she pressed herself into him tighter. "I won't let anyone hurt _you_," she told him. "It's over."

This time he nodded, feeling her body move along with his movement. "Never again," he swore, and he knew that she agreed.

_It's not a secret anymore  
Now we've opened up the door  
__Starting tonight and from now on  
__Things will never be the same again_

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**_The song is Never be the same again by Melanie C. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review. _**


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